Hearing delayed on contract bill amid disagreement

A hearing on union-backed state legislation that would impose controls over privatization of county services has been delayed for a week to make changes in the bill, an official said Wednesday.

"We're trying to figure out the best path forward," said Cori Ayala, deputy chief of staff for Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, the author of Assembly Bill 1250.

The Service Employees International Union, which is sponsoring the bill, is seeking regulations over outsourcing done by county governments in California. A coalition of nonprofit agencies, businesses and county governments including Ventura is strongly opposed.

The legislation has already passed in the Assembly, but is only beginning to be heard in the Senate. A hearing by the Senate Governance and Finance Committee that was originally scheduled Wednesday is now expected July 12.

Ayala said that Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, his staff and the union will be huddling on revisions that she was not prepared to disclose.